IT has certainly been a transitional season at Colchester United.

And such change has been reflected in their high turnover of playing personnel, over the course of the last eight months.

A staggering 42 players have so far represented the U’s in league and cup competitions, in the current campaign.

U’s boss Tony Humes has blooded plenty of youngsters from the club’s academy.

The likes of Tom Lapslie, Michael O’Dono-ghue and Byron Lawrence have all had their first taste of Football League action, this season.

But there have been plenty of players drafted in from outside the walls of the Weston Homes Community Stadium, too.

Jacob Murphy was the latest player to pull on the Colchester shirt for the first time, last weekend.

The forward, on loan from Championship side Norwich City, made his debut in their 3-2 defeat against Crawley Town.

Murphy was the 12th loanee to play for Colchester, this season. And with Bongani Khumalo also arriving on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, that figure has risen to 13.

Some U’s loan signings have enjoyed more joy than others.

Elliott Hewitt has been Colchester’s most established loanee, having played 23 times for them so far since joining from Ipswich Town last October.

Rhys Healey, on loan from Cardiff City, has made a similar impression, having clocked up 18 appearances and scored four times. And George Moncur has been a U’s regular since initially joining on loan from West Ham United, a move that has since been made permanent.

Others have not been quite as successful, though.

Will Packwood returned to his parent club Birmingham City after one disastrous appearance for Colchester, which saw pick up a red card and an injury in the U’s 6-0 drubbing at MK Dons.

And the likes of Kenny McEvoy and Kemar Roofe, have also come and gone having made little impact in League One.

Colchester will be hoping that the loan players that remain with them will be able to play their part in their Great Escape, between now and the end of the season.

U’s loanees so far this season: Jacob Murphy, Karleigh Osborne, Jack Marriott, Elliott Hewitt, Matthew Briggs, Rhys Healey, George Moncur, Cole Kpekawa, Will Packwood, Kenny McEvoy, Kemar Roofe, Jamie Harney, Bongani Khumalo.